The judge in the murder trial of Kimberly Kessler, who is accused of killing her co-worker Joleen Cummings, has denied a defense motion to suppress evidence the state says is crucial to understanding how Cummings died.
The state wanted to tell the jury how investigators said Kessler went to Walmart the night Cummings was last seen alive and bought an electric knife, cleaning gloves and heavy-duty trash bags.
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Cummings’ body has never been found, but investigators found a large amount of blood evidence at the Tangles Hair Salon, where Cummings and Kessler worked together, and have surveillance video showing Kessler placing bags containing something in a dumpster. The knife hasn’t been found either.
The defense argued that since no one can say how Cummings died, the items would encourage the jury to speculate that the electric knife was the murder weapon and would inflame the jurors’ passions.
The judge ruled the prosecution can tell the jury about the items Kessler bought due to their probative value. Those purchases were caught on store surveillance video.
Kessler is due back in court Tuesday for her final pretrial hearing. Her trial is still set for Dec. 6.